LONDON: Kiran Desai, the Booker Prize-winning Indian author, is a frontrunner for the prestigious fiction award for the second time with her first new novel in nearly two decades. “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny” has made the shortlist, which is heavily dominated by American authors, announced on Tuesday by a judging panel that includes Irish writer Roddy Doyle and actor Sarah Jessica Parker.
The nearly 700-page narrative follows two young Indians navigating life in the United States. This work marks Desai’s third novel, following “The Inheritance of Loss,” which won the Booker Prize in 2006.
Two previous Booker finalists, U.K. writer Andrew Miller for “The Land in Winter” and Hungarian-British writer David Szalay for “Flesh,” are also contending for the £50,000 (approx. $68,000) prize. They are joined by three American authors: Susan Choi’s family saga “Flashlight,” Katie Kitamura’s exploration of acting and identity titled “Audition,” and Ben Markovits’ midlife crisis road trip novel “The Rest of Our Lives.”
Doyle remarked that the six nominated books address significant issues such as migration and class in a “brilliantly human” manner. He stated, “They all follow the human in the stories… I don’t think any of these books show off.”
The Booker Prize, established in 1969, is known for significantly impacting writers’ careers. Past winners include notables like Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Hilary Mantel, and Samantha Harvey, who won last year with “Orbital.” This year’s shortlist is comprised entirely of authors who are well into their careers; with the exception of Desai, all have published at least five novels.
Kiley Reid, author of “Such a Fun Age” and another member of the judging panel, noted, “That’s the best thing about writing books. It’s not gymnastics. You don’t peak at any age. And seeing authors late into their careers have these wonderful moments is really encouraging.”
Initially exclusive to novels from the U.K., Ireland, and the Commonwealth, the prize expanded in 2014 to include American writers. There have been concerns regarding an American domination of the award; however, this year’s shortlist features three American authors and Desai, who has resided in New York for many years.
Parker expressed her desire for greater diversity in literature, saying, “As somebody who likes to read globally, I always want more and more diversity… I would love all literary awards and competitions to alert readers to great books, no matter where they’re from.”
The judges reviewed 153 novels submitted by publishers, narrowing the field down to six after a four-hour meeting. Another meeting will determine the winner, who will be announced on November 10 at a ceremony in London. Parker reflected on the joy of the reading process, stating that the decision to eliminate certain books from contention was “real agony.”
